Upgrading tank, need opinions...

I currently have a 55 gallon long, with out a sump. very simple setup, but i wanna upgrade to a bigger tank size and since this will be my second fish tank set up i will fix all the flaws i had with my first tank. I was looking at a clear for life acrylic 60 gallon cube, with a 25 gallon sump. My 55 is a mixed reef, but I would want the sixty to be strictly a sps, hard coral tank, I think this would be a good start, but is the clear for life tank worth the pricey 500$ cost or should i look somewhere else. i am also am looking at a good skimmer, and a calcium reactor if i plan on doing this. With the sump what would be a good gph rate for the sump. its not official yet but i hope everything works out since money is so tight with the economy right now. I want your guy's input on the tank, a good skimmer and a good calcium reactor and anything else you wanna give me advice on.

 

What size you got in the sump for a skimmer? For the price I really love vertex skimmers. Great made, bubble plate, etc. They have decent sized footprints though. So need room in the sump for it.

Calcium reactor isnt my ball game, i dose, so.

 

As long as you have maybe 2x the DT's gallonage for flow you will be fine.

Lower flow through the sump is a good thing. Use powerheads or other means to get more flow in the tank for SPS.


If you want a great Calcium reactor, get a GEO., but If I were you, I would simply dose 2 part.

For a skimmer, check out the new octopus skimmers.

 

Ohh yeah forgot to answer that part, i have a 700gph return on my 125g tank. I dont have any other flow in my sump. Just what comes down from the down tube and flows across to the return pump.

 

I am thinking about making my own sump, out of glass panels. the display tank has a pretty small footprint so i am planning on making the stand a 30 by 30 footprint to make the area below the tank bigger and to help distribute weight. so now that i think about it probably a sump thats 20 long and 15 wide, or will i need to make the sump smaller to fit the reactor down there.

 

Will need room for the reactor... 20x15 is plenty of room for a skimmer though... even my vertex in-180 is only like 11.5x16 inch footprint.

 

What is your thoughts on uv sterilizers, I've heard good and bad things about them.

 

I dont think there is any bad other than they wont help much.. depends on how much flow you have going through them... there are a lot of factors.. flow.. if the parasite actually makes it throught he uv filter (like if it doesnt get sucked up by your overflow, etc).. i personaly dont use one, or know anyone that uses one.

 

Honestly, I'm sticking with two part for as long as I can. Don't care for complications.

You don't need a certain "flow" on your sump. All you are doing is supplying your skimmer. With your size, what was said of a couple hundred gallons a hour would be good. Your sump should be as big as you can cram in. You will run out of room quick.

 

I think all CA reactors can be set outside the tank, and dripped in. That is how mine is.

For a good , cheap and effective sump, why not use a "tough box"? I used one for over a year under my 90g. No issues, and very effective.

HD has the 27g ones for like 12 dollars IIRC now. I used a 17g one.